Kayaking with Florida Manatees and Dolphins – near Space Center (Titusville, FL) – Best tour for Beginners
This is one of the most amazing eco-tour experiences you can have – anywhere! And we have it right here in the Orlando area for our guests. The manatees in Florida love the warm waters of the Indian River. They laze the day away in the coves and lagoons of this brackish estuary. Kayak with us (quietly) into their little paradise, and you will feel the essence of these mythical gentle giants. Thought to be the original mermaids, manatees, (sea cows) seem to awaken something spiritual in those who come into close contact with them. Feel the magic in their presence as the come up along your kayak to curiously check out who this new sea creature (you) is! Manatees are friendly and curious. They like to get to know our guests.
We ask our kayakers to take as many photos and videos as they like, but to be quiet and not try to touch the manatees. It is important to respect their environment and not disturb them. But don’t be surprised if you get a splash or a spray as they come up for air!
Please read – How to paddle with manatees before going on the tour.
What is included
- Kayak This tour is in a 2-person tandem kayak.
- PFD
- Guides
What you should bring
- Insect repellent
- Sunglasses
- Water bottle
- Sunblock
Departure schedule
Daily departures multiple times per day – morning & afternoon. Times vary depending on the seasons. Please take a look at the day on our booking calendar to see possible departure times. Tour must be booked 2 hours before departing.
Weight Limit
415 lbs total for 2-Person Kayak (neither participant should weigh over 250); some participants may need to use the clear kayak as a single person based on weight limits. Additional charge may apply.
Group booking
Private group, school, church or businesses tour is available upon request. Call for more information and rates.
More about the Indian River Wildlife and Manatees
The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary that is fed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean making it a unique natural habitat. Florida has more endangered or threatened species than any other state, and the Indian River is home to 36 rare or endangered wildlife. The West Indian Manatee is one of them. Manatees love this river because of the abundance of seagrass beds.
Other rare wildlife you are likely to see are: Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Loggerhead Turtles, Blue Crabs, Seahorse, Otters and Giant Blue Herons. In the summer months, night tours offer a rare view of glowing seaweed that is “bioluminescent.” Yes – it glows in the dark!
Check tour conditions
Check our Twitter updates to see how the wildlife has been lately on BK Adventure Tours.
Meeting point
Get directions to Haulover Canal here.
Haulover Canal is a beautiful launch site on the Wildlife Refuge. We use this site for our Bioluminescence Kayaking tour, and other tours, like the Sunset Tour. * We rarely have to change the location of your tour, but sometimes we will suggest a location that has better conditions or access for whatever reason. Please remember that our kayaking launch sites are restricted by federal and local government agencies, and sometimes they require us to make last minute changes. The Wildlife Refuge must coordinate with NASA.
Reviews
Write a review-
Very memorable and a great experience. Nearly a 2 hour kayaking adventure on easy, flat water canal. Picturesque & Ram, the owner, very knowledgable. It took about 1.5 hour to ...
E. Peterson
Very memorable and a great experience. Nearly a 2 hour kayaking adventure on easy, flat water canal. Picturesque & Ram, the owner, very knowledgable. It took about 1.5 hour to drive from Orlando.
The manatees were plentiful and curious to be involved with humans. My husband was lucky enough to rub the head, back and belly of a couple manatees. I got to pet a few, as well. Very serene and enjoyable.
Ram, the owner, did a fantastic job on educating us about the manatee and "small talking" with each one of us. -
Highly recommend! Was the experience we had hoped for, had a great time and good for groups. Jay & Jimmy were experts on the area and despite the warning that ...
Diana Meyer
Highly recommend! Was the experience we had hoped for, had a great time and good for groups.
Jay & Jimmy were experts on the area and despite the warning that you never know what you might see due to daily conditions, they made sure that we got to experience all the night had to offer. Gave great info on what we saw and made sure everyone in the group got an up-close experience with the bioluminescent creatures. Side note, these guys made it feel very safe and inclusive so that was nice.
I would recommend wearing flip flops and bring a spare pair of shorts since your bottom side will likely get 'damp'. -
We always like to try something new on our annual summer break and opted for the manatee tour. On a Tuesday it's only $29 a person which is fantastic value ...
Shandy
We always like to try something new on our annual summer break and opted for the manatee tour. On a Tuesday it's only $29 a person which is fantastic value for the 2 hour plus we spent on the river. Saw many manatees and a few dolphins plus many types of birds. Would recommend to anyone.
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We booked a tour while we visited Florida. Steve was our guide, and he was amazing. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the nature and history. He was also extremely patient ...
Julie Lindy
We booked a tour while we visited Florida. Steve was our guide, and he was amazing. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the nature and history. He was also extremely patient with novice rafters. He was very responsive to my kids' comfort in the boat, excitement about the experience, and even let my younger son catch some jellyfish to study while on the raft. My children got on the boat a little nervous and left feeling proud and accomplished thanks to his expert guidance. We would definitely do this again and ask for Steve as our guide!
FAQ
Our tours rarely cancel due to weather. If it is raining the day of the tour, chances are, with Florida weather, it will clear up by the time your tour starts. Sometimes we will hold the tour by 30 minutes for the weather to clear. In the case of lightning, high winds, or some other reason that we cannot paddle, we will re-schedule all guests to the very next tour available, or at a convenient time for you. Rainchecks are valid for 1 year.
We recommend you do the "Sunset Tour" if you have time. That way you get to see dolphins, and possibly manatees and all the amazing birds. Then, take a break, and go out for the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour later. It's just $20 more and it's an amazing tour! Click here to book that.
For our single kayaks, the weight limit is 275 lbs. For the tandem kayaks it is 550 lbs. The night kayaking tours are done on tandem kayaks.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, or have small children, you may want to choose the Haulover Canal kayaking location. You may also want to ask about our new rafting options where you join others in the raft for an easy paddle in a big boat.
We like to think so, but we cannot guarantee it. Here are the best conditions: hot weather, right after a rain storm, dark night. Sometimes the night is dark even when the moon is supposed to be bright. Sometimes a barely visible moon occurs on such a clear night, that even the slightest shine makes it seem bright. So, there are many factors that make the bioluminescence more/less visible. The BEST TIME for glowing algae (dinoflagellates) brightness is usually July to October. But we see it all year round, and in November, we see amazing flashing comb jellies! So, don't miss out because your vacation does not fall during the summer months.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
Lots of people who love kayaking with their dog have asked about this tour. We do not recommend this one for dogs, as it is a night kayaking tour. Maybe chose the manatee tour or the monkey tour instead of bioluminescent kayaking if you want to have a great experience with your favorite pooch!
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of kayaks we can launch at one time. So, we use 2 person tandem kayaks in order to get all of our guests out to see the bioluminescence on the dates they want. That does not mean you will be in a large group. Only 8 boats go out with 2 guide boats at one time.
Because of the limited availability of our equipment, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on.